Many local stores plan to open after game if Alabama wins

Monday

Dec 31, 2012 at 12:01 AM

Wade Farris was born and raised on Alabama football, so to have a hand in providing Alabama fans with their beloved championship game T-shirts, hats and other memorabilia is quite rewarding for the Academy Sports store director.

By Kim EatonStaff Writer

Wade Farris was born and raised on Alabama football, so to have a hand in providing Alabama fans with their beloved championship game T-shirts, hats and other memorabilia is quite rewarding for the Academy Sports store director. “We're Tuscaloosa's hometown Academy and we're very proud of that,” he said. “We take a lot of pride in being the place everyone talks about the next day when asked where they got their hat or shirt, or where they went after the game and how long they stood in line.”Academy Sports and Outdoors is once again preparing for a late-night after-game opening of its 12 Alabama stores, as well as its Pensacola, Fla., location if the Crimson Tide comes out on top in the 2013 Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game on Jan. 7 in Miami. If Alabama wins, stores will open immediately following the game and will stay open “as long as there is product to sell and customers pulling into the parking lot,” Farris said. “It's amazing, just one big party,” he said. “We'll put a CD on with Alabama game-day music, and we'll have associates outside to keep the crowd pumped. The line is even longer than Black Friday lines, but it's very organized and there's a steady stream of people coming in and out.”Hibbett's Sporting Goods in Northport and Belk's in University Mall also plan to open their stores, in the event of an Alabama win on Jan. 7, to sell national championship merchandise.After planning three of these “hot market events” in the last four years, Academy has it nearly down to a science. Tables stocked with various Bama gear and souvenirs are set up at the front of the store, while Academy employees stand behind tables to help customers find the right sizes. The line moves from the first table to the last, and then on to checkout and out the door. Because only the front part of the store is open, Farris said they bring in about 25 to 30 customers at a time in order to make it a pleasurable experience. He said that employees keep the lines moving and people do not seem to mind waiting. The store will offer Championship Locker Room T-shirts for men, women and youth, Championship Locker Room hats, Championship Locker Room fleece hoodies, exclusive back-to-back Championship T-shirts (adult sizes only), National Championship Tervis mugs, koozis, bumper stickers and other novelty items. Farris was unable to give a price range for the items.While not knowing how many people to expect this year, Farris said he anticipates higher numbers because of the back-to-back championship wins. The merchandise, which is pre-bought, will help several thousand fans get their Alabama gear, he added.There are also more items coming during the remainder of the week. While the big “celebration” is right after the game, Farris said they will open the doors before the scheduled 8 a.m. opening to allow customers in to start shopping the Alabama tables.“The next-day shoppers are more of the people who didn't want to get in the madness of the after-game crowd,” he said. “But that night there are so many different kinds of people. College students, couples, households who just load up the van after the game and come down. We also have a lot of spectators who drive by, engaging in the excitement, honking their horns and yelling ‘Roll Tide.'”In the event Alabama does not win, the championship gear will be returned to the vendor, Farris said, adding that he was unsure what the vendor does with the merchandise.“(Pre-ordering) is a risk, but you do what you have to do to make sure fans have a place to get their championship gear right away. We want people to think of Academy as that place,” he said. “Fortunately, we've been able to open those stacks of boxes the last two times. We're hopeful we'll be able to do that again this time.”